Can't afford your house? Here is an easy fix, let taxpayers do it.

[PiKA2001]

Hmmmm, I wonder if this is just for Detroit public safety officers or if guys from the 'burbs can get in on this too. IIRC Detroit holds the deeds to some 20,000 properties(for reals). Those Two neighborhoods mentioned are "nicer" than the average Detroit neighborhood BUT I don't imagine the properties being offered are the typical Boston-Edison or E. Indian village home. The decent homes actually sell, It's the absolute shithole homes that the city takes over.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Hmmmm, I wonder if this is just for Detroit public safety officers or if guys from the 'burbs can get in on this too. IIRC Detroit holds the deeds to some 20,000 properties(for reals). Those Two neighborhoods mentioned are "nicer" than the average Detroit neighborhood BUT I don't imagine the properties being offered are the typical Boston-Edison or E. Indian village home. The decent homes actually sell, It's the absolute shithole homes that the city takes over.

It is only for Detroit public safety officers (police/fire) to get them to move back to the city since the state struck down the law that required them to live in the city where they worked. The properties offered ARE the typical Boston-Edison and E. Indian village homes but they are homes that are in foreclosure and, from what I understand, are typical foreclosure homes.. read: need a ton of work. What they really need to do is give them a break on the taxes and get them good insurance deals. Those are the things that made people leave in the first place.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by AGDee

It is only for Detroit public safety officers (police/fire) to get them to move back to the city since the state struck down the law that required them to live in the city where they worked. The properties offered ARE the typical Boston-Edison and E. Indian village homes but they are homes that are in foreclosure and, from what I understand, are typical foreclosure homes.. read: need a ton of work. What they really need to do is give them a break on the taxes and get them good insurance deals. Those are the things that made people leave in the first place.

I've never looked into E. Indian Village but I did look at houses in Indian Village, Boston-Edison, Palmer Woods, and Sherwood Forest and none of the foreclosed houses I saw in those neighborhoods were city owned, they were all bank owned. Are they going to be acquiring these properties from the banks and then giving them away? Detroit has been struggling in recent years to figure out what to do with all the city held properties, so I just assumed that this program would be giving away the houses they currently owned.

You'll never find a good insurance rate in those neighborhoods because of the older housing stock. I'm naive when it comes to home owners insurance but what would happen if there was catastrophic damage to a B-E home? It would cost over a million dollars to replicate the craftsmanship of those houses so if there was a fire that took out a wing of the home then what? There wouldn't be a $20,000 fix, the insurance company would probably have to buy the house then tear it down. The also do get a tax break because these hoods(at least B-E) is subject to the NEZ tax break BUT I think that still leaves them at a mill rate of 56 which I still think is too high considering the lack of services and security you get living in Detroit. I'd like to see Detroit go down to a mill rate of 35-40. I might even consider buying a home in the city again if I ever make my way back there with those rates.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I've never looked into E. Indian Village but I did look at houses in Indian Village, Boston-Edison, Palmer Woods, and Sherwood Forest and none of the foreclosed houses I saw in those neighborhoods were city owned, they were all bank owned. Are they going to be acquiring these properties from the banks and then giving them away? Detroit has been struggling in recent years to figure out what to do with all the city held properties, so I just assumed that this program would be giving away the houses they currently owned.

You'll never find a good insurance rate in those neighborhoods because of the older housing stock. I'm naive when it comes to home owners insurance but what would happen if there was catastrophic damage to a B-E home? It would cost over a million dollars to replicate the craftsmanship of those houses so if there was a fire that took out a wing of the home then what? There wouldn't be a $20,000 fix, the insurance company would probably have to buy the house then tear it down. The also do get a tax break because these hoods(at least B-E) is subject to the NEZ tax break BUT I think that still leaves them at a mill rate of 56 which I still think is too high considering the lack of services and security you get living in Detroit. I'd like to see Detroit go down to a mill rate of 35-40. I might even consider buying a home in the city again if I ever make my way back there with those rates.

On top of the huge property taxes, they also have to pay resident income tax rates so 3% instead of 1.5%. It isn't just home owner's insurance either. If you live in the city proper, your auto insurance quadruples.

I do know two people who simply walked away from their homes in Detroit because of the taxes and insurance, which I think is completely irresponsible.

As for how the city came to own these homes, I believe it's all part of the deal where the city is buying up abandoned houses. In most cases, it's to be able to just level a whole block/neighborhood that is abandoned. In those empty spaces, people are building community gardens and parks. It's kind of amazing. Was Woodbridge Pub there on Trumbull when you were around? They've actually turned an empty lot into a garden that they use to grow food for the restaurant. They are only serving Michigan foods too. Their menu changes seasonally to adjust to what is available at the time. Very cool concept.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Was Woodbridge Pub there on Trumbull when you were around? They've actually turned an empty lot into a garden that they use to grow food for the restaurant. They are only serving Michigan foods too. Their menu changes seasonally to adjust to what is available at the time. Very cool concept.

No, Woodbridge Pub wasn't around when I lived there. I'm am familiar with the place since I still have close friends that still live in the city. I also like to check out all of the new places when I'm in town. I would like to see establishments other than bars and restaurants open in the neighborhoods though....maybe a community center, safehouse, or grocery store! The only place to get groceries in that area is University Foods on Warren and Lodge.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

No, Woodbridge Pub wasn't around when I lived there. I'm am familiar with the place since I still have close friends that still live in the city. I also like to check out all of the new places when I'm in town. I would like to see establishments other than bars and restaurants open in the neighborhoods though....maybe a community center, safehouse, or grocery store! The only place to get groceries in that area is University Foods on Warren and Lodge.

Yep, and University Foods always gives me the creeps. I go to that Subway now and then. It's the only Subway I've been in that had bullet proof glass to the ceiling. I hope the grocery stores come too. There are some other places opening... lofts for artist studios along the Cass Corridor.

You would probably enjoy this video: http://www.palladiumboots.com/exploration/detroit

Why a boot company did this video, I don't know.